withington



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J. WITHINGTON.

WIRE FEEDING DEVICE. No. 323,013. Patented July 28, 1885.

WITNESSES:

0 m Walhingion. u c,

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

J. WITHINGTON.

Y WIRE FEEDING DEVIOE. No. 323,013. 3 Patented July 28, 1885.

INVENTOR WITNESSES:

Nrrnn STATES JAMES \VITHINGTON, OF GHAMBERSBURG, ASSIGNOR TO THE TRENTON IRON GOlWIPANY, OF TEEN TON, NEW JERSEY.

WIRE-FEEDING DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 323,013, dated July 28, 1885.

Application filed June 3, 1884. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES WITHING'roN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chambersburg, in the county of Mercer and State of New Jersey, have invented a certain Improvementin Feed-Rolls for Vire, Wire Rods, and kindred products, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a class of devices employed for occasioning the feed or advance movement or the delivery of wire, wire or metal rods, shafting, or kindred products in metal, although the device is applicable for the feed of fibrous or textile rods, ropes, or cord- :5 age.

The object of my invention is the provision of a device adapted to secure the accurate and certain advance of wires or wire rods, either of different sizes or of varying and irregular 2Q diameters. These objects I attain by mechanism a preferred form of a convenient embodiment of which is represented in the accompanying drawings, and explained in the following description, the particular subjectmatter claimed being hereinafter definitely specified.

My invention is of especial applicability in connection with a certain improved apparatus for straightening wires and wire rods, for

39 which I have executed an application for Letters Patent contemporaneously with this application. The device is, however, of general applicability wherever wires, rods, and kindred products are designed to be fed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents in top plan view, and Fig. 2 in front elevation, an apparatus conveniently embodying my improvement-s. Fig. 3 is a side elevation or one taken from the right hand of Fig.

2, the feed-rolls and bell-mouthed guides being represented in section on the plane of the line w w of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a side sectional elevational detail of one of the roll-standards, section being supposed on the dotted line g y 5 of Fig. 1, and sight being taken from the righthand side of said figure.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

In the drawings, A represents a bed-plate,

upon which the roll-standards B B, which .from a beveled inion a mounted u on a driving-shaft, c suitably journaled with respect to the bed-plate. 6

It is obvious that motion imparted to the driving-shaft will be transmitted to the lower or fixed shaft, which carries the lower feedroll. The upper portions of the standards are vertically slotted to receive slide-bearings e e,

which carry an upper or movable shaft, 0, one extremity of which projects beyond the standard and is equipped with an upper feedroll, D, which is disposed in vertical alignment above the lower feed-roll. The feed- 7 5 rolls are metal Wheels of suitable dimensions, grooved, depressed, or otherwise hollowed or sunken as to their peripheries to adapt them to receive a wire, wire rod, or like product. Between the standards both the upper and 8 lower shafts are equipped with toothed pinions F F, set to mesh, and having leaves of sufficient radial depth to permit of the separation of the pinions a certain distance without disengagement.

From the above construction it will be obvious that the upper shaft, upper toothed pinion, and upper feed-roll are adapted,by virtue of the arrangement of the slide-bearings, to be moved vertically upward and away from 0 their corresponding lower or fixed devices. This capability for upward movement permits of the spreading apart of the feed-rolls to receive wires of different sizes, or to permit of the passage of a wire of varying diameter.

In order to retain the feed-rolls in contact with each other or with the wire fed through them, it is necessary to exert pressure upon the upper and movable shaft of the upper feedroll, and this I accomplish by means of a cross IOO head or yoke, G, which straddles the standards and bears upon the slide-bearings, and by means of suspenders g g, hung upon said yoke and connected together below the bedplate by a lower cross-head, g, which serves to receive the downward thrust of a lever, H, fulcrumed at h, beneath the bed-plate, and provided with a counter-weight, h, as shown in the drawings. The operation of this contrivance is to retain the feed-rolls in contact. I J are bell-mouthed guides respectively in advance of and to the rear of the feed-rolls, and designed to receive the wire or rod to be fed and respectively conduct it to the rolls and from the rolls out to the machine in which it is to be manipulated or the reels upon which it is to be wound.

It is obvious that other contrivances than the suspenders, cross-heads, lever, and weight can be substituted for the purpose of retaining the feed-rolls in contact; but I prefer the contrivances represented to others, many of which would be obvious to any mechanic.

It willalso be understood that two, or a series of sets of, feed-rolls may be arranged in succession and geared from the driving-shaft, so as to all travel at an equal rate of speed.

The present arrangement of crown-wheel and pinion for driving may of course be varied, and other arrangements substituted in their stead.

Having thus described my invention,I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent '1. The combination, in an apparatus for feeding wire, wire rods, and kindred products, of a grooved feed-roll mounted upon and driven by a fixed axle,a second grooved feedroll disposed in line with the first-named roll and mounted upon an axle which is movable so as to permit the rolls to move apart from each other, means for driving the fixed roll, gearing for positively connecting the two rolls, means for retaining the movable roll in yielding contact with the fixed roll, a bell-mouthed guide for directing the wire to the feedrolls, and a housing for containing the said appliances, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. The combination of the standards, the lower shaft fixedly j ournaled in said standards, the lower feed-roll, the movable shaft adapted to move to and from the fixed shaft, the movable feed-roll mounted upon said movable shaft, means for driving the fixed shaft, posi-' tive gearing for connecting the two shafts, the yoke, suspenders, lower cross-head, and weighted lever for retaining the rolls in contact, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

3. The combination of the standards,the lower shaft fixedly journaled in said standards, the lower feed-roll,the movable shaft adapted to move to or from thefixed shaft-,the movable feed-roll mounted upon said movable shaft, means for driving the fixed shaft, positive gearing for connecting the two shafts, the yoke, suspenders, lower cross-head, and weighted lever for retaining the rolls in contact, and a bell-mouthed guide for directing the wire into the bite of the rol1s,substantially as and for the purposes specified.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name this 22d day of May, A. D.

JAMES \VITHINGTON. In presence of J. BONSALL TAYLOR, W. O. STRAWBRIDGE. 

